Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Director:

Philip Kaufman

Writers:

Jack Finney (novel)
W.D. Richter (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 December 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Get some sleep

Plot:

In San Francisco, a group of people discover the human race is being replaced one by one, with clones devoid of emotion.

Plot Keywords:

Remake | Escape | Sleep | Planet | Amazing Grace Hymn

Awards:

3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	Matthew Bennell
Brooke Adams	...	Elizabeth Driscoll
Jeff Goldblum	...	Jack Bellicec
Veronica Cartwright	...	Nancy Bellicec
Leonard Nimoy	...	Dr. David Kibner
Art Hindle	...	Dr. Geoffrey Howell, DDS
Lelia Goldoni	...	Katherine Hendley
Kevin McCarthy	...	Dr. Miles J. Bennell
Don Siegel	...	Taxi Driver
Tom Luddy	...	Ted Hendley
Stan Ritchie	...	Stan
David Fisher	...	Mr. Gianni
Tom Dahlgren	...	Detective
Garry Goodrow	...	Dr. Boccardo
Jerry Walter	...	Restaurant Owner
Maurice Argent	...	Chef
Sam Conti	...	Street Barker
Wood Moy	...	Mr. Tong
R. Wong	...	Mrs. Tong
Rose Kaufman	...	Outraged Woman
Joe Bellan	...	Harry
Sam Hiona	...	Policeman #1
Lee McVeigh	...	Policeman #2
Al Nalbandian	...	Rodent Man (as Albert Nalbandian)
Lee Mines	...	Schoolteacher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Misty	...	Harry's Boxer Dog
Michael Chapman	...	Health Dept. Floor Cleaner (uncredited)
Robert Duvall	...	Priest on Swing (uncredited)
Philip Kaufman	...	City Official on Phone (voice) (uncredited)
Al Perez	...	PG&E Man (uncredited)
Jeff Scheftel	...	Pod Person at Party (uncredited)

Directed by
Philip Kaufman

Writing credits
Jack Finney		(novel "The Body Snatchers")
W.D. Richter		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert H. Solo	....	producer

Original Music by
Denny Zeitlin

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Douglas Stewart

Casting by
Mary Goldberg

Production Design by
Charles Rosen

Set Decoration by
Doug von Koss

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers		(as Agnes Anne Rogers)

Makeup Department
Thomas R. Burman	....	makeup artist (as Thomas Burman)
Edouard F. Henriques	....	makeup artist (as Edouard Henriques)
Edie Panda	....	hair stylist
Bob Westmoreland	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Alan Levine	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Bloom	....	first assistant director
Toby Lovallo	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
Michael O'Donnell	....	assistant property master
Holly Walker	....	assistant property master
Burt C. Wiley	....	property master (as Burt Wiley)
Dale Woodall	....	construction coordinator
Dale Haugo	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Ben Burtt	....	special sound effects
Susan R. Crutcher	....	stereo sound effects recordist (as Susan Crutcher)
Bonnie Koehler	....	supervising sound editor
John Nutt	....	sound editor
Steve Powell	....	boom operator (as Stephen Powell)
Art Rochester	....	production sound mixer
Art Rochester	....	sound
Andy Wiskes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy Wiskes	....	stereo sound effects recordist
Barbara McBane	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Russel Hessey	....	special effects (as Russ Hessey)
Dell Rheaume	....	special effects

Stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan S. Blauvelt	....	second assistant camera (as Allan Blauvelt)
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera (as Dusty Blauvelt)
Dick Dova	....	key grip (as Dick Dova Spah)
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer
Leo Loverro	....	dolly grip
Joe R. Marquette Jr.	....	camera operator (as Joe Marquette)
George Michael Pantages	....	head electrician
Bill Pelkey	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Elizabeth Still	....	assistant costumer (as Mary Still)

Editorial Department
Norman Mau	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Julian Bream	....	musician: solo guitar, "De la Tromba Pavin"
Jerry Garcia	....	musician: banjo
Ving Hershon	....	music editor
Roger Kellaway	....	conductor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Phill Sawyer	....	music production coordinator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
John Blowitz	....	unit publicist
Patrick Burns	....	production assistant
Ron Dexter	....	space sequence
Allen Pettigrew	....	location manager
Howard Preston	....	space sequence
Alice Tompkins	....	script supervisor
Joan Wellman	....	production secretary
Bret Culpepper	....	owner: "Misty" (uncredited)
Bret Culpepper	....	trainer: "Misty" (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Solofilm

Distributors

• United Artists (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists Pictures (1979) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Other Companies

• American Zoetrope  rerecorded at
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Netherlands:16 (orginal rating) | Finland:K-16 (2000) (uncut) (DVD) | Finland:K-16 (1987) (cut) (video) | Finland:K-18 (1979) (uncut) | West Germany:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | France:-12 | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG (certificate #25153) | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

1227 Montgomery Street, Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Solofilm

Trivia:

According to the commentary on the DVD, director Philip Kaufman said they paid 'Robert Duvall (I)' by giving him an Eddie Bauer jacket.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Early in the film when Geoffrey and Elizabeth are talking and we only see their reflections. Geoffrey's mouth isn't moving

Quotes:

Dr. David Kibner: Elizabeth, could you please tell me, in your opinion, what is going on?
Elizabeth Driscoll: People are being duplicated. And once it happens to you, you're part of this... thing. It almost happened to me!

Movie Connections:

Edited into Ice Queen (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Amazing Grace

Excellent remake of the 1950s paranoid classic. ALMOST as good as the original.

The original 'Invasion Of The Body Snatchers' is one of my favourite thrillers of all time, and a very hard movie to top. I'm always sceptical about remakes of classic horror and SF films, but this version by Philip Kaufman is much better than one would expect, and ALMOST as good as the original. I still think Don Siegel's version is the best because it really evokes small town life in middle America, and that makes the horror and suspense all the more effective. Kaufman transplants the setting to San Francisco and the big city location means it loses its sense of intimacy and community, and instead has more of an alienated urban feel to it. But it's still an excellent movie, and along with Cronenberg's 'The Fly' and Carpenter's 'The Thing' the most successful remake of a 1950s horror classic to date. What really helps this movie is the cast. Donald Sutherland, one of the 1970s most interesting and intelligent actors, is excellent in the main role, played by Kevin McCarthy in the first film. And the lovely Brooke Adams ('Days Of Heaven', 'The Dead Zone', 'The Unborn') is first rate as the main female lead, her role being much more substantial than Dan Wynter's in the original. I've had a major crush on Adams ever since I first saw this movie. She is beautiful but goofy and I really thought she was going to be a major star. The supporting cast is excellent, led by the wonderful Jeff Goldblum and 'Alien's Veronica Cartwright, and of course Leonard Nimoy, in his most memorable non-Trek role. Also keep an eye out for cameos by the star and director of the original version (Kevin McCarthy and Don 'Dirty Harry' Siegel), and a very brief but eerie one by Robert Duvall! 'Invasion Of The Body Snatchers' is a superb example of how to remake a horror classic, and is one of the creepiest and most nerve-wracking thrillers of the 1970s. I highly recommend it and the original 'Body Snatchers', they are two of the scariest movies ever made!